Pacifica
Pacifica was one of the Twelve Inner Colonies (Old Line colonies) and the capital world of the Virgo Sector. Geography and Climate Pacifica had no continental landmasses, but many large and very large islands spread across its surface, which offered a range of different landscapes. The planet was nestled on the inner orbit of its stars’ habitable zone, and so a generally tropical to subtropical climate prevailed. History and Culture Pacifica was charted and settled in the late 23rd solar century; the last of the Inner colonies to be settled, and the most distant from Earth. Its climate, geography, and physical beauty led eventually to each of its hundreds of major islands being purchased in whole as a nation-estate. Most of the inhabitants of Pacifica were wealthy men, women, and families who had made fortunes on Earth or other worlds and were drawn to Pacifica by. As a result, the planet had a very wealthy population, and the primary economic activity was banking. The concentration of wealth and influence made Pacifica the logical choice to be the lead world of the Virgo sector when the Articles of the Commonwealth were ratified in the 29th Solar Century. 23rd-28th Solar Century In the early colonial era, none of the major colonies was more resented or despised by the other worlds in its home sector than Pacifica. The Pacficans were viewed as arrogant meddlers, whose desire to control and micromanage the affairs of other colony worlds impeded their independent development. For example, Pacifica demanded that colonies in its sector remit a percentage of their gross domestic product into a Fund for Common Development, which was managed from Pacifica. Most worlds rightfully saw it as a slush fund the Pacifican Government used to pay off its friends and cronies. Colonies that refused to contribute were officially barred from trade or commerce with other colonies. This led to the rise of large networks of smugglers and black markets to avoid the embargoes. The Pacificans also made it requirement for enterprises to be licensed by a central authority on Pacifica, and would only issue licenses after extensive background investigations and assessment of the environmental effects new business would have on the worlds where they started. (Environmentalism was a Pacifican obsession). These permits could take years to acquire. Even to settle a new world required Pacifican approval of a Development and Sustainability plan; which usually limited colonial development to less than 5% of the surface of a planet. This resulted from the quasi-religious reverence with which Pacificans regarded native ecosystems. The colonies in the Virgo Sector were the first to rebel, many declaring independence from Pacifica in the late 28th solar century. The Pacificans were faced with a dilemma; despite their great wealth, few of them were willing to fight and risk their lives to maintain control over rebellious worlds. They appealed to the other Inner Colonies and Earth to help them. Earth directed the Galactic Federation Fleet to put down the rebellions, but this only led to more opposition. After a few years of fighting, the Central Government on Earth recognized the situation as unsustainable, and ordered Pacifica to undertake reforms that addressed the opposition of the other colonies. Faced with the loss of Galactic Federation military support, Pacifica agreed to the reforms; but bitterly resented Earth’s Government for forcing the reforms on them. One of the reforms limited the amount of tribute Pacifica could claim from other colony worlds, thus depriving the planet of its primary source of income. 29th and 30th Solar Centuries After flirting with bankruptcy and financial collapse in the 29th Century, Pacifica was able to recover by becoming a galactic tourist destination. Advances in spaceflight had made vacations to other worlds a viable, if costly, proposition. Flight between colonies had been reduced from years to days; although still quite a lot of days, such that those contemplating a vacation on another planet really had to plan on spending a year there to make it worthwhile. Several large islands were redeveloped with hotel-homes, casinos, brothels, amusement parks, and other tourist amenities. Pacificans soon discovered a talent not only for attracting tourists, but for managing the logistics of inter-stellar navigation Several starliner companies were operated from the planet. And Pacifican ships were soon running the major trade routes throughout the galaxy. The confluence of travel, wealth and tourism coupled with an economic system centered on family relationships brought rise to another phenomenon; organized crime. Pacifican families allied with smugglers and black marketers from other colonies to form ruthless criminal enterprises. Prostitution, slave trafficking, narcotics distribution, gambling… Pacifican families controlled it throughout the Federation… and later, the Commonwealth. In the Second Crusade, Pacifica was a special target of the Terran Imperium. Although Terran forces were able to land and occupy Accord and the other major cities of the planet, they were never able to control the planet completely. Pacifica’s smuggling fleets and Interstellar networks were valuable sources of supplies to the resistance, both on-planet and off. 31st to 37th Solar Centuries Pacifica did not participate in the campaign to defeat the Red Committee, but maintained a position of neutrality. In the Fourth Crusade (the War against the Scorpion Union), Pacifica’s gangs and trading networks supplied both sides. The Scorpion Union did not target the Virgo Sector in its campaign. In the Fifth Crusade, Pacifica became a stronghold of the Cult of the Strange; an aesthetic movement whose members eschewed religion and social distinctions. Millions of Pacificans had their body hair and sexual organs removed, and moved into the Collective Hives favored by the Strange. The movement, naturally, died out within a generation on the planet, and was defeated on the outside by the efforts of many worlds. In the Sixth and Seventh Crusades of the 36th and 37th Solar Centuries, Pacifica’s largely secular population sympathized with the anti-Religious forces and gave them haven. Additionally, Pacifica’s shipping fleets and criminal organizations provided a network that carried agents and weapons throughout the galaxy. Many worlds in this time period declared that all ships under Pacifican flag could be treated as hostile. 38th to 41st Solar Century In the Aftermath of the Eighth Crusade, Pacifica was occupied by the followers of the Dark Lady Herodias. When a small number of its inhabitants attempted to rebel, she darkened the planet’s skies causing a prolonged period of darkness and cold during which time the oceans froze in the polar regions, many native species went extinct, and millions of people died. Many Pacificans dealt with occupation by leaving the planet. Those with wealth or connections to other worlds were able to leave using the planet’s interstellar trade and smuggling networks. Herodias was defeated by forces of the Commonwealth Fleet in the 40th Century. 42nd to 52nd Solar Centuries (The Millennium of Peace) The climate recovered, with some help from geophysical engineering, and by the middle of the Fifth Solar Millennium, the planet had returned to its pleasant climate. As was the case with many of the Inner Colonies, Pacfica’s links to other worlds diminished over the final centuries of the Commonwealth. A Starlock was built near Pacifica in the 45th Century and was christened Chorus. Pacifica was annihilated by the Tarmigan Assault in the 53rd Solar Century. Cities *Accord – Largest City and Seat of Government for Pacifica and the Virgo Sector *New Monterrey *New Honolulu *New Portland *New Melbourne Category:Worlds